January 2, 2003

2002 was a productive water year on the Wisconsin River according to Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC), Wausau. The water conservation-streamflow regulation company noted one example where the river produced a 51.75-inch, 44-pound musky, and another where the power of the flowing water the fish came from was sufficient to have produced 700 thousand tons of paper. The hydrologic cycle that produced 38 inches of precipitation for the tenth largest annual total in 103 years, produced runoff that produced flow that produced 1.049 billion kilowatt hours (kwh) of renewable energy.

WVIC is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to operate 21 headwater storage reservoirs to regulate a uniform flow in the Wisconsin River.

As of December 22, 2002 had been tied with 1985 at 38.17 inches for tenth largest annual total precipitation in WVIC's records. Snow fell December 28, however, and increased the 2002 total to 38.20 inches to produce the tie breaker.

The big musky was produced, the fisherman who caught it said, by a snowstorm October 21 when 7 inches fell to contribute to the 5.53 inches of precipitation that occurred that month.

WVIC regulation for a uniform flow increases hydropower efficiency because reservoir storage reduces high flow that curtails generation and conserves excess flow for release when flow declines. Reservoir management contributes an increase on average of 14 percent or about 200 million kwh of electricity annually.

The 25 Wisconsin River hydroplants capture 646 feet of the river's 1,050-foot vertical fall and harness the hydraulic to 167 megawatts of generating capacity. Power generation of 1,048,998,380 kwh in 2002 was 110 percent of the 952,600,000 normal annual total.

On the basis of one person consuming 3,000 kwh per year, the Wisconsin River generated enough electricity to serve the needs of 350,000 people in 2002. On the basis of consuming 1,500 kwh per ton, the river generated enough electricity to produce 699,333 tons of saleable paper at Wisconsin Valley paper mill companies.

As December power generation declined to normal, so too did streamflow settle into the range of normal as 2003 began. Reservoir operation and flow regulation have been routine so far this winter. While it has been warm enough for precipitation to remain liquid or to melt, November and December storms didn't generate enough to produce runoff of any significance to reservoir storage or flow management. Balancing reservoir release with a natural flow that has run some 14 percent above normal has resulted in weekly average regulated flow in the Wisconsin being normal down its 430-mile length Dec. 27-Jan. 2.

December monthly total precipitation on the upper Wisconsin River basin was 0.64 of an inch, 52 percent of or 0.58 of an inch less than the 1.22 of an inch normal. On the basin from Wausau to Wisconsin Rapids, December monthly total precipitation was 0.31 of an inch, 25 percent of or 0.92 of an inch less than the 1.23 of an inch normal.

-End of Report-